Only hosts France and England have been confirmed for Euro 2016 next summer, but it is fairly safe to assume that the likes of Germany and Spain will also feature in the showpiece event.
Just who can win the tournament is a matter of opinion, but according to the bookmakers at least, Germany, France and Spain are the only three teams that can realistically lift the trophy.
Indeed, Germany are the current favourites and can be backed at 3/1, while France are 4/1 and Spain 13/2. Behind the three favourites, Belgium are on offer at 10/1, with England and Italy the next two in the pecking order.
Netherlands are in trouble in their qualifying group, but will still fancy their chances of making the tournament, while Portugal, if Cristiano Ronaldo is on top form, will believe they can challenge.
The tournament in France is shaping up to be some event and with that in mind, Sports Mole has taken a closer look at the three favourites for the crown.
1. GERMANY
Previous best at European Championships: Champions (1972, 1980, 1996)
Possible starting XI: Neuer; Mustafi, Hummels, Boateng, Hector; Kroos, Gundogan; Reus, Ozil, Bellarabi; Muller
Key player: Thomas Muller
It does not take a genius to work out why Germany are the favourites to claim the trophy next summer. They have not yet secured qualification from Group D, but indeed top the group with three games remaining. It would be one of the biggest shocks in football history if they did not secure their spot in France and they are many people's tip to win their first European Championship since 1996.
They actually went out in the group stages of both the 2000 and 2004 editions, but finished as runners-up in 2008 and made the semi-finals in 2012. There is also the small matter of their World Cup success in 2014, when they became the first European team to win the competition on South American soil. Germany are always there or thereabouts in major tournaments and the fact they are the favourites ahead of the hosts, which counts for a lot, is a serious achievement.
Of course, form of players and injury can harm a country's chances of success, but one look at the potential squad list that Joachim Low has available is incredible. Manuel Neuer will still have the gloves next summer, while the likes of Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Mats Hummels will be certain starters if they remain injury-free. Much of Germany's potential success could also depend on the fitness of Marco Reus, who has had a number of problems in recent seasons.
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There are decisions to be made in the two full-back areas, however, with Phillip Lahm retiring from international football after lifting the World Cup last summer. Shkodran Mustafi had a strong 2014-15 campaign for Valencia and will be confident of securing a spot come the tournament, but full-back is not his first position. Midfield is where Germany's strength lies, however, and it will be interesting to see how many out-and-out strikers – if any – are selected. It would probably be fair to say that there are better teams – one to XI on paper - than Germany, but they are a side that know how to perform in the biggest competitions, know how to get the job done.
Experience is a word that always seems to fit with Germany and Bastian Schweinsteiger, although not a guaranteed starter next summer, will be vital to the squad. Much will also depend on the type of seasons that Julian Draxler and Mario Gotze enjoy, with the pair having the ability to light up the competition in France. As with every tournament, luck will be needed at some point to claim the trophy. There might not be the 'wow factor' about this German side, but that was also the case at last summer's World Cup and look how that ended. They just cannot ever be written off.
2. FRANCE
Previous best at European Championships: Champions (1984, 2000)
Possible starting XI: Lloris; Sagna, Varane, Koscielny, Evra; Matuidi, Pogba, Schneiderlin; Griezmann, Benzema, Valbuena
Key player: Paul Pogba
The last time that France qualified for a European Championship as hosts was back in 1984. It proved to be a fairly successful tournament to put it mildly, with Les Bleus winning the competition after beating Spain 2-0 in the final. France are once again the hosts of the major competition and they will be keen to improve on a recent European Championship record which was seen them eliminated in the quarter-finals in two of the last three editions.
The 2014 World Cup was not quite as successful for France as it was for Germany, but progression to the quarter-finals on South American soil was an impressive achievement. It has been a frustrating few years for the French national team, but with the talent – both experienced and young – that head coach Didier Deschamps can call upon, there is no question that they should be challenging for the top honour on home soil.
Perhaps the most fascinating part of the team selection is just how far Deschamps goes when it comes to youth. There are some young players that will be in the first XI if fit – Raphael Varane and Paul Pogba to name two – but those in the shape of Kurt Zouma, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Nabil Fekir and Anthony Martial will also be hoping to be given the chance to impress.
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The likes of Hugo Lloris, Laurent Koscielny, Patrice Evra, Karim Benzema and Antoine Griezmann will also all surely be in their strongest XI, but there are decisions to be made when it comes to what type of football the team will play. Solidarity in midfield is important, but having a '10' that can feed Benzema will also be high on the priority list.
Varane and Pogba are already considered two of the outstanding young players in their respective positions in world football, while Martial has just made a £36m move from Monaco to Manchester United. If Deschamps gets his squad selection right, there might not be another team in the tournament that has such strength in-depth.
It is a squad that screams power and strength, but with players such as Griezmann who can unlock defences. Underachievement has been the story of the French national team in recent years, but this is a seriously good crop of players. There are a number of obvious reasons why France should make a serious impression, but football aside, the importance of home support cannot be downplayed. Deschamps has seven more confirmed friendlies before the tournament gets underway next June – it could be the start of something special.
3. SPAIN
Previous best at European Championships: Champions (1964, 2008, 2012)
Possible starting lineup: De Gea; Juanfran, Ramos, Pique, Alba; Busquets, Iniesta, Koke; Silva, Costa, Pedro
Key player: David Silva
Like Germany, Spain have not yet booked their spot at Euro 2016, but after beating Slovakia 2-0 in their qualifier on Saturday, Vicente del Bosque's side have moved top of Group C and will fancy their chances of shaking off a challenge from Ukraine to secure at least a top-two finish. With the bookmakers, they are only the third favourites for the top prize next summer, which is a surprising for a side that have won each of the last two editions of the tournament.
There is no getting away from the fact that 2014 was a poor year for the Spanish national team. They entered last summer's World Cup as the holders and had been tipped to launch another strong challenge, but Del Bosque's side bowed out in the group stages after losing to both Netherlands and Chile. It would be fair to say that it knocked Del Bosque and his team, but writing off La Roja, especially one that has something to prove, is very dangerous indeed.
A number of Spanish stars are entering the latter stages of their career, but one look at the team that could take to the field in France suggests that they can still compete with the best. David de Gea should ultimately fight off Iker Casillas to secure the gloves next summer, but much does depend on De Gea's personal situation. Ahead of him, Juanfran should edge out Dani Carvajal at right-back and Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba pick themselves at the back.
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It is a little more complicated from that point forward, with Sergio Busquets plus two in the middle of the park. Cesc Fabregas, Isco and Santi Cazorla are all in with a shout, but Koke seems to be the player pencilled in to play left of Busquets. Iniesta seemed to be drifting out after a fairly low-key 2014-15 campaign for Barcelona, but the 31-year-old has started the new season in fine form and was excellent against Slovakia in Spain's most recent qualifier.
Manchester City's outstanding David Silva also looks sure of a spot in the final third, but Diego Costa only has one goal in eight games for Spain and there are fears that his style does not complement Del Bosque's team. Pedro is a favourite of the Spain boss and should start, but the central striking position could realistically go to a number of pretenders, with Paco Alcacer and Alvaro Morata seemingly at the head of the queue.
It is not inconceivable that Spain will opt for a false nine at the tournament and the fact that 11 different players have scored La Roja's last 11 goals is an indication of the threat that they possess. There is just too much ability in the team for Spain to be written off as underdogs and a third successive European Championship is far from a pipe dream.
